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The Best New Rifles for 2014

Rifle technology has been evolving for centuries to become the accurate and reliable firearms we use every day.

Current market trends are moving toward shorter, lighter carbines and completely modular weapon systems. This year at the 2014 SHOT Show, we saw more rifles than ever including modular, free-floating handguards in a variety of caliber choices to fit many objectives.

To find out more about the most current rifles on the market, check out our list of the best new rifles for 2014.

The Best New Rifles for 2014

Next Up: Bolt Gun Buyer's Guide

The Arsenal SLR-104FR features a Mil-Spec stamped receiver and a hammer-forged and chrome-lined barrel, and it comes complete with a left-side folding polymer stock. One of the obvious highlights is the folding polymer stock, which is manufactured to the true specs of the original design and is made of Mil-Spec reinforced polymer.
Price: $1,099

New for 2014, the Barrett REC-7 Gen 2 REC7 Gen 2 is a piston-operated rifle, available in both 5.56x45mm and 6.8 SPC.
The REC 7 Gen 2's main features include a chrome lined, cold hammer-forged barrel and a modular free-floating handguard with Keymod attachment points.
Price: $2,700

The Daniel Defense MK12 was designed with traditional SOCOM MK12 configurations, such as a stainless steel barrel and rifle length gas system. The 18-inch barrel is cold hammer-forged, and Daniel Defense also forges its chamber at the same time as the barrel, rather than cutting the chamber later.
Price: $2,199

The Kimber Advanced Tactical SOC (Special Operations Capable) rifle combines the long-range accuracy with the tactical features we’ve come to expect from a distance rifle.
The Advanced Tactical SOC is available in both .308 Win. and .300 Win. Mag. chamberings, and feeds from a 5-round magazine (included), or an accessory 10-round magazine.
Price: $4,099

Developed specifically for personal protection detail, the LWRC IC PDW carbine uses a 7.75-inch 5.56x45mm barrel mounted to a forged upper receiver. Combine the short barrel with its proprietary collapsible stock, and the IC PDW is an excellent choice for a concealable rifle.
Price: $2,500

The Rock River X-Series of rifles were designed as all-purpose rifles to handle multiple objectives.
Available in .223 Rem., .308 Win, 6.8 SPC and .458 SOCOM, there's a good chance the X-Series can fit the bill.
Price: $1,400 to $2,000

The SIG Sauer 556xi rifle was designed to serve the growing demand for completely modular weapon platforms.
SIG Sauer's new rifle runs on a 3-position adjustable piston-driven system, allowing operators to tune the action for optimal function with suppressors, or during extended shooting sessions.
Price: $1,500 to $1,600

The new 3T and 3TM rifles are the latest addition to Stag Arms' Model 3-series line of rifles. They feature a rifle-length handguard, back-up sights and collapsible stock, and are available in left- and right-handed versions.
Price: $999 to $1,160

We love it when Winchester brings back the old classics. The 1873 Case Hardened features a color-case hardened receiver and octagon barrel. It's also available in a variety of chambering options.
Price: $1,739

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Bemused Aussie

10 of the 15 rifles chosen are military style weapons. Does this reflect the assault rifle madness of American rifle users? If so we/you all are in for rough times ahead I fear. And really, how many people interested in seeing ‘the best guns for 2014′ are going to be disappointed by this weird selection of testosterone toys? I shoot, & appreciate new firearms technology, but this selection is well off the (reality) planet.

Conservative_veteran

Talk to me when your country has a Marxist imposter sitting in its Presidency. If we Americans had given up our guns to the government like you Aussies did we wouldn’t even have an America right now. With this political climate, its a bit difficult to focus my firearms curiosity on shotguns for bird hunting or a new deer rifle. Instead I have to worry about if I need a few thousand more 7.62×39 rounds or if picking up another Arsenal SAM7 is worth the cost.

Bemused Aussie

CV, you make my point in spades. Most Australians are quite happy with the intent of the gun restrictions imposed here after the Port Arthur massacre. Americans, or at least a powerful vocal minority that can destroy a politicians career (ie the NRA), seem to put up with numerous such massacres without thinking for a moment that ur gun culture might be a problem. We’re a pretty independent mob, & not keen on authority (just like Americans, we rebelled against the authoritarian ways of the Brits), but we’ve manage to progress past the kind of paranoid, anti-government inflammatory rhetoric guys on ur side of the political fence seem to love. We have Labor (left leaning) governments every 6-8 years to create things like our universal health system – which u’d call Marxist, and we throw em out for the Liberals (right leaning) to re-balance the books (and we only put up with them for about the same time, 6-8 years). The world needs more people/politicians who give a damn about others, & a whole lot less assault weapons in the hands of people who think they will ever need “a few thousand more 7.62×39 rounds”. By now all Americans ought to have learned that few problems are fixed with guns, and that includes hiding behind them instead of engaging with those with whom your views differ. If you did I’m sure you’d discover you’re more alike than u are different, & perhaps agree there are problems that need fixed in your (gun) culture, then get on with agreeing to fix them rather than name calling, & drawing attention to absurdly paranoid straw men & irrelevancies.

Daniel Schultz

You’re an idiot…why don’t you research these ‘massacres
‘. You say people are happy with your laws, tell that to all of the victims of violent crime down under you imbecile.

Bemused Aussie

Idiot, imbecile, full of shit, little sheep & pussy little ass. Wow, u two guys are right on top of the concept of well reasoned argument aren’t you! All gun owners (in the US & Australia) are not rabid paranoid wankers like u 2, and thank god for that. Learn to read for meaning, understand all problems are not black & white, nor fixed with guns, & do a little research of ur own. If u did, u’d learn Australian attitudes to guns & violent crime are very different to urs, & most people in the world wld agree uve got it badly wrong. You read the research on gun crime (couple of issues back in Scientific American), the effects of gun ownership for protection & who actually gets shot in the US & u might be surprised to learn that ur firmly held views are a bunch of crap. But there’s no point arguing with nut jobs, ur so damned up ur own asses ur ears don’t work & ur brains probably never did!

And, like I said, I don’t give a rat’s ass about your pussy “cuntry” and I have sense enough to not get involved in your politics and policies. So, why don’t you mind your own fucking business and go do your goat or sheep, or whatever the flavor of the day “down under” is. But, since you seem to know EVERYTHING, let me ask you, who in the U.S. is responsible for my and my family’s protection? Any idea? Police? Nope. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the police have NO OBLIGATION to protect individuals. So, Mr. know-it-all, who does personal protection boil down to? That’s right, THE INDIVIDUALS themselves. But, if you don’t mind being a sheeple and running the risk of some third rate country with a platoon of armed men taking over your country, I don’t, either. But, you know when that happens, you can bet that us gun-crazed Americans will be the first there to protect your women, children and, yes, you, from those animals. So, sleep well, little buddy, America will protect you, too.

DeltaZulu

The Aussies I know ARE NOT happy with the gun restrictions there. But, then again, the Aussies I know are ones I served with in military exchange programs. These guys aren’t sheep and think they should have the right to protect their families as they see fit. Even the Japs were smart enough to know that attacking the United States mainland would be suicide for them, because most Americans have guns and know how to use them. BTW, your assertion that gun owners are a very small minority in the U.S. proves you are simply full of sh*t. ALL of my friends own guns and are very pro-2A. And, recent polls here show that gun ownership and pro-2A numbers are going up – WAY UP. But, if you want to be one of the protected little sheep and be at the mercy of others, go ahead. But, let me wrap up by saying, you keep your pussy little ass out of America and our politics and I’ll certainly stay the hell out of yours.

Fieldkorn

Yawn. Almost exclusively AR black Rifles or expensive rifles; often both together. Impressed with the picks there, Jeffrey? Hardly. What lame selections by a fawning an lame editorial staff. For what some of these rifles cost could go on a really fine deer, turkey or bird hunt instead of burning up my wallet’s contents just on ammo. Get a life, on-line staff and get real as to what a goodly number of shooters truly believe is important.

alberta hunter

agreed,overpriced commeratives,tacticals,and black rifles to low end junkie savages could they not find a rifle that would fit in between

Fieldkorn

Let me get this correct. We have more than one dozen new firearms which “RifleShooter” says are the best of 2014. And yet only one of which costs less than $500. I take that back: Only one is actually less than $1,000. Really? Seriously? This is the best “RifleShooter” and its online writing staff can come up with? That’s is sad to the point of being depressing.

Michael Kinney

Insanity… Gun prices are outpacing incomes. I just want a basic/dependable bolt action WITH SIGHTS… How about a version of the SMLE in 30-30 or 30-40 and a ten round magazine? This list sucks donkey butts.

Gaz

pretty much a whole lottta things are outpricing incomes .. dammit..

martykod

The Remington 700 Long Range retails has an MSRP of $830.00 most are selling at $700.00 to $750.00.